Applies ToOutlook for Microsoft 365 for Mac Outlook 2024 for Mac Outlook 2021 for Mac Outlook 2016 for Mac

This article is for people who use a screen reader program such as Windows Narrator, JAWS, or NVDA with Windows tools or features and  Microsoft 365 products. This article is part of the Accessibility help & learning content set where you can find more accessibility information on our apps. For general help, visit Microsoft Support.

Use Outlook for Mac with VoiceOver, the built-in MacOS screen reader, to set up email accounts. You can add several accounts to stay connected with your work, family, and friends, and then set your favorite as the default account.

Outlook supports most types of email services. You can add any of the following Microsoft accounts: Exchange, Microsoft 365, Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live.com, and MSN.com. You can also add any of the following accounts: Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, iCloud, or an account with a POP or IMAP server.

Notes: 

  • New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

  • This topic assumes that you are using the built-in macOS screen reader, VoiceOver. To learn more about using VoiceOver, go to VoiceOver Getting Started Guide.

In this topic

Set up your email account automatically

With VoiceOver, you can quickly set up your first account in Outlook for Mac to get going. The first account can be any supported account type. Since all email accounts are different, the instructions below provide general guidelines for setting up an account when you open Outlook for the first time.

  1. Open Outlook for Mac. The Set Up Your Email dialog box appears with the focus in the email text field. You hear: "Please enter your email address."

  2. Type the address of the email account that you want to add to Outlook, and then press Return.

  3. If prompted, press the Tab key to browse the email providers. VoiceOver announces the providers as you move. To select the provider of your account, press Spacebar.

    Note: If you are using an account from your organization, the sign-in steps might be slightly different.

  4. The focus moves to the password text field. You hear: "Password, secure edit text." Type your password, and press Return. The account is added to Outlook, and you hear: "Account added successfully. Add another account, default button."

  5. Do one of the following:

    • If you want to add another account, press Spacebar. The focus moves to the email text field. Repeat the steps from 2 to 4 to add the account.

    • If you don't want to add any other account, press the Tab key. You hear: "Done, button." Press Spacebar. The dialog box closes and the focus moves to the message list of your Inbox.

Set a default email account

If you've added several email accounts in Outlook, you can set the one that you use the most as your default account. Your outgoing emails are sent using the default account.

  1. In the Outlook main view, press Option+Control+M. You hear: "Menu bar, Apple."

  2. Press the Right arrow key until you hear "Tools," and then press the Down arrow key until you hear "Accounts, ellipses." To select, press Spacebar. The Accounts window opens.

  3. Press the Tab key until you hear "Table," followed by the first item in the table of added email accounts.

  4. Press the Down arrow key until you hear the account you want to set as the default.

  5. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Set default account, menu button."

  6. Press the Down arrow key until you hear "Set as default," and then press Spacebar.

See also

Use a screen reader to set up your email account in Outlook (Windows, Web, Mobile)

Use a screen reader to format text in your email in Outlook

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with the calendar in Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Outlook Mail​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Technical support for customers with disabilities

Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk.

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